


I Know That I Can Make it Home

by the_space_princess



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:07:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28414383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_space_princess/pseuds/the_space_princess
Summary: Originally posted on Tumblr under lukesorangebeanie! OG Note: HELLO, this is basically just me wanting some fluff, so here!!!! HAVE IT! It’s Julie making cookies and taking them to Luke’s mom. Canonverse fic.
Relationships: Julie Molina & Emily Patterson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 142





	1. Chapter 1

He poofed into the kitchen, finding Julie with multiple bowls around her, and flour on her shirt and face. “What’s all this?” he asked, walking over and looking around.

“I’m making cookies!” she told him. “From scratch… my mom showed me how. I haven’t done it in a while, but I thought… why not?”

He blinked, and then gave a small nod. “You need some help?” he asked her, moving over to look at what she was doing, which was scooping dough out of a big bowl and setting it onto pans very carefully.

“No, I got it! They’re almost ready to bake. But thanks!” she told him, turning her face up to give him a bright smile.

“Of course! I’m just gonna… hang out,” he said, moving to sit up on the counter to watch her. She just gave him another smile, then went back to what she was doing. It was never boring watching her… She moved with purpose, getting the first batch into the oven to cook, and then she leaned against the counter next to him, and they chatted a bit as they waited for them to bake. When they were done, she stuck in another batch, and they began to clean up. He helped as much as he could, practicing with picking things up as he took them to the sink to be cleaned. After he set down a couple more spoons, he reached up and rubbed off a spot of flour from Julie’s cheek, making her giggle. He grinned at her, then stepped back to watch her move around.

After a moment, he realized that she was wrapping up a plate of the cookies, so he tilted his head as he spoke. “Wait, where are you taking those?” he asked her.

“Uh, well… you could come with me and see!” she told him, giving him a smile.

He frowned slightly and narrowed his eyes at her. “Julie…”

“Luke. Trust me?” she asked, picking up the plate, and then reaching out with a hand to him.

He stared at her a moment, but then he nodded to her, taking her hand and squeezing it. Tugging on his hand, she led him out of the house and then started down the street. It didn’t take him long to realize exactly where they were going. But he didn’t say a word as they approached his parent’s house. Things had changed a bit - he could touch Julie now, hold her hand, help her with things, brush hair behind her ear… but he was still invisible, even to the people that still mattered to him. As they stopped in front of the door, he slipped his hand out of hers, glancing over to her.

“Is this okay?” she asked him. “I just thought… maybe I could do something nice, and check on them…”

“Jules. It’s great,” he told her, turning and lifting a hand to touch her cheek briefly. “Thank you.”

“Of course, Luke. So… you wanna ring the bell?” she asked, nodding to the door.

Giving her a grin, he reached out and pushed the doorbell - reminding him of that first time she’d come here to meet his parents. How she’d asked for trust, and he’d rung the bell to show her that he did trust her.

His mom answered this time, and she seemed surprised to see Julie standing there. “Oh! Hello, Julie! How are you?”

“Hi, Mrs. Patterson! I’m good!” Julie replied.

“Oh, you can call me Emily! Please. What do you have there?” his mom asked, gesturing to the tinfoil covered plate.

“Some cookies! I did some baking, and there were so many, and I thought maybe you and your husband would like some? And I wanted to come say hello,” Julie told her, giving a bright smile and holding the plate up.

Emily blinked, and looked misty eyed for a moment before she stepped back, waving a hand into the house. “Come in! Please,” she said, and Julie just nodded and followed her inside. Luke stepped in before his mom could close the door, and he moved, doing a quick poof into the kitchen, appearing on top of the counter as his mom and Julie walked in. They sat down at the table, and Julie uncovered the cookies, and they began a conversation about baking. He didn’t understand most of it, but he smiled as he watched them interact. Julie laughed at something his mom said, and he grinned, feeling a sense of peace come over him.

After a short time, Julie got up to leave, saying goodbye to his mom and giving her a brief hug. Luke held back a moment, staring at Emily as she shut the door behind Julie. “She’s great isn’t she?” he asked, even though he knew she wouldn’t hear him. “I really like her, Mom… I’m glad that you do. I… I know it’s a little weird…” He hesitated, watching her as she moved about the kitchen, getting the plates and glasses that had been used off of the table. He sighed, leaning against the counter. “She’s so brilliant and talented, and so kind! She’s so kind, Mom. Which you know… I mean, she just… decided to bring you cookies!” He laughed a bit, continuing to watch her wash the dishes for a moment. Then he swallowed hard, giving a nod.

“Anyways. I… I love you, Mom. It was good to see you happy,” he said, reached up to briefly touch her face, seeing her shiver and glance up. He grinned, and then he stepped back and poofed out.

He reappeared in the garage, where Julie waited for him behind her piano. He went over and sat beside her, taking her hand. “Thank you, again,” he told her.

“You’re welcome! But you don’t have to thank me… I just wanted to do something nice for her. She deserves it,” she said.

“She does. And I like that you thought about her, so yes, I’m gonna thank you. Also a little mad I couldn’t eat one of those cookies, they looked amazing,” he replied to her, grinning a bit.

Julie giggled, nudging him gently with her elbow. “Luke!” They laughed, and then she put her hands on the keyboard, beginning to play for him. He sat and listened and watched her, smiling at this amazing girl that had come into his after-life.


	2. Christmas Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to Tumblr under lukesorangebeanie! OG Note: HELLO. So. This is for Day 8 of the 12 Days of JatP Christmas that @sonsetcurve is hosting! The prompt is Christmas Cookies, and so… Have a follow up to my little ficlet where Julie takes cookies to Luke’s mom! It is… a whump? I guess? Am I using that right?! Y’all let me know… :P So ANYWAYS, have Luke following Julie to take his mom Christmas Cookies, and some emotional aftermath… >3

This time, it’s Christmas sugar cookies.

Julie had been making cookies to take to his parents every so often, just to leave them, but sometimes she’d stay and chat with Emily. He’d sit on the counter and watch them, and try not to cry as his mom tells Julie about all the things that his parents did, things that he had missed out on. He was glad that they had tried to continue to live, and that they hadn’t dwelled so long on his death.

When he came into the kitchen and saw the decorated Christmas cookies, though, he hesitated. This was the first Christmas since they’d come back. The first time he’d seen the decorations and trees, and presents sitting under the tree. And he wasn’t sure if the others noticed, but it wasn’t easy to see. Christmas was when he had left. It had been the last time that he’d seen his parents. The last time he’d argued with his mother.

Even so, he let Julie lead him up the hill, holding tight to her hand as they approached the door to his old house. (Because it was old now. It was old… it wasn’t really his home. It was, but could it count when he was technically dead?) He slipped his hand out of hers when the door opened, not wanting his mom to see anything amiss. Julie chatted easily with Emily, but he hardly heard anything they said. As he stepped in after them, looking around, it was like he was back in 1994, Christmas day.

The yelling. Him stuffing clothes in a bag. Grabbing his guitar, going out to his bike in the garage… Leaving, never to come back.

Julie and his mom had gone into the kitchen, but he stood in the living room, staring at the Christmas tree that had been set up. Still with all the ornaments he’d made when he was little. Pictures. A few new ornaments, but not many. He stepped closer, feeling the tears start to stream down his face. The boxes under the tree seemed too big… And when he got close enough to look, he could see that a few of them looked faded. And the tags had his name on them.

That’s when he broke.

He immediately poofed back to the studio. No one else was in there, so he stumbled over to the stairs up to the loft, dropping down hard on the bottom step.Then he’s sobbing into his arms, his emotions overwhelming.

They’d had cake on his birthday. They still put out his wrapped Christmas presents.

He’d never gotten to open them. He hadn’t gone back for Christmas, for New Year’s… for six months, he had just lived out of the studio. So close by them, but still so far. And he’d been too determined to make the Orpheum happen to go back.

He doesn’t know how long he sits there, just that he’s numb, physically and emotionally. His tears have dried for the moment, but he knows he probably looks awful. He doesn’t look up as he hears the studio doors open, barely registers as Julie calls his name before she sees him on the steps.

“Luke?! Oh my god!” She comes rushing over, lifting his face with her hands, looking him over like he was somehow physically hurt - even though that’s impossible. “What happened? I… I couldn’t find you when I went to leave…?”

He swallows hard, but his tongue feels thick, and he gives a shake of his head, his face screwing up again as he lets out another sob. Guess he wasn’t done crying, after all. She moves to hold him, rocking him gently, her fingers brushing through his hair to try and comfort him. And it is comforting. He doesn’t cry for as long this time, but he still feels so much.

She holds him, even when he’s stopped sobbing, and he’s so appreciative of it… “Jules…”

“You don’t have to talk about it,” she tells him. “It’s okay. I’m sorry…”

Luke lifts his head at that, looking at her and shaking his head. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine… I…” He has to pause and take a breath. “Look. This whole thing has been amazing, I’m not gonna deny that. But… Jules, they had my Christmas presents put out. Still wrapped up, after 25 years… and the birthday cake? And I just… This is all my fault. I did this…”

“No! No… it’s not…” she replies, moving to sit on his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck. “Why would you even…?”

“I suggested the street dogs, Julie. I wanted to fuel up before we played that day, and then it was those stupid hot dogs… and I always meant to go home. I wanted to show my parents I could make it in music, and that didn’t happen! And my mom… she… she must have hurt so much…”

She moves to rub his back with a hand, and presses a kiss to his cheek. “Luke. I know it’s hard. But you can’t blame yourself for a super freaky accident. Sure, you could have gone to get any other kind of food, and probably never would have… you know. But… then I wouldn’t have met you. You wouldn’t have helped me, there’d be no Julie and the Phantoms…”

“Are you trying to tell me that everything happens for a reason?” he asked her, lifting his head a little so he could look at her eyes.

Julie gives him a smile. “Maybe. I know it’s cliche… and I know all this isn’t going to just go away. But you have me, and Alex and Reggie. If it ever gets overwhelming again, you can tell us.”

He looks up at her, and then gives a slow nod. “Sorry. I just… I saw the presents. And I freaked. And I couldn’t stay…”

“Shhh… it’s okay, Luke,” she says, pressing their foreheads together. “You’re okay.”

“I am now,” he tells her, hugging her closer and burying his face into her shoulder. “Stay for a bit?”

“Of course."


	3. Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They've been very busy, but Julie decides to make some Valentine's sugar cookies to take to Emily and check on the Patterson's! A very emotional conversation is had, prompted by one of the cookies that Luke asks Julie to make...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO! I have... returned? That feels wrong, because I've been here, I've just been lurking and doing more reading than writing. But this nagged at me, so have a cookie fic update! I hope you enjoy! And yes, I'm taking a few liberties with this, I think... but hopefully you still enjoy it.

It’s Valentine’s Day the next time she makes cookies. The holidays had been busy, and they’d had a couple of performances, and then Julie had to get back into the swing of going back to school and having rehearsals… So it had been a while since she’d made cookies.

He leaned against the counter, watching her decorate with icing, making the heart-shaped cookies look like the little candy hearts with messages on them. Julie glances up to him, smiling. He smiles back, but he’s sure it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. She can tell, too, because she puts the icing bag down and turns to take his hand. “You okay?”

“It’s just… been a couple of months,” he tells her.

“I know. I’m sorry… We’ve been busy. Which is why I wanted to do this!” she responds. “It’s going to be fine! And you should see them… I don’t want you to feel like you shouldn’t. They’re still important to you.”

He nods, and then he points to the cookies. “Can you… can you write one that says awesome? You know, like how there's ‘awe’ on top and ‘some’ underneath on the small candies? I always saved those to eat last, and I… I’d give mom pink if there was one.”

Julie smiles, and then picks up a pink frosted cookie and her bag of dark purple icing. She carefully writes out the letters on it, and then looks up at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Perfect,” he tells her, smiling. It’s more genuine this time, and he watches her finish the rest of the cookies, bantering with her about what other phrases to put on them.

When the cookies are cooled off and ready, Julie carefully stacks them on a plate, and covers them with seran wrap. Then they leave her house, making the walk up to his parent’s place. He rings the doorbell - tradition, at this point, and a show of trust as he looks to her and nods. The door opens, and Emily smiles wide when she sees Julie. “You must have been so busy, lately! It’s great to see you, though, sweetheart!” she says, ushering Julie inside and closing the door behind her. Luke has stepped inside, too, unbeknownst to Emily, and he follows them to the kitchen, taking his spot up on the counter to sit and watch. He catches Julie’s eyes very briefly before she glances away - he knows she doesn’t want to act suspicious in front of his mom, so he doesn’t think anything of it.

But it’s when he looks back to his mom that he sees her frozen. She’d just unwrapped the cookies, to try them he’s assuming, but she lets out a small sob.

“Mrs. Patterson?” Julie is gentle as she puts a hand on the older woman’s arm. And Luke hops off the counter, moving closer. He wants to hug his mom… she’s crying, and he isn’t sure why, and he just wants to comfort her.

“I’m… it’s just…” Emily manages to finally speak, and she waves at the plate. “That… that cookie…”

Luke glances down, seeing the pink ‘awesome’ cookie right on top. He knows Julie did that purposely, and he swallows as he looks back to his mom.

“Luke… Luke would give me those… the pink ones. And… awesome was his favorite word when he was a kid,” she tells Julie, smiling and laughing a little, though more tears are falling. “He would hand one to me, and he’d… he’d tell me that it was for the most awesome mom…” She sobbed again, and Julie moved in to hug her, looking at Luke with shining eyes. His lip wavers, and he wipes at his face.

“I didn’t expect her to react like this,” he whispers, shaking his head.

Julie gives him a sympathetic smile, and pats Emily’s back comfortingly. After a few moments, Emily straightens, grabbing a napkin to wipe at her face. “I’m so sorry, Julie dear… Sometimes it just hits a little harder,” she says, sitting down at the table. “And I… When he left, we weren’t on the greatest of terms. I don’t think I’ve told you that. And I… You know, I found an old CD in his room…”

Luke sucks in a breath, and moves to see her face. She’s staring out at the backyard, and he sees more tears fall.

“His band. I never… I didn’t care for rock music, and I had parents and others who told me that it was… well, that it wasn’t good. And I listened to them, and I tried to push that on Luke when he told me he wanted to start a band. Which, of course, didn’t go well…” She pauses, and then looks at Julie. “I listened to that CD. A few years after… when I could finally make myself go in his room. I was just so… I suppose I was searching for a way to reach him? I don’t know…” Emily shakes her head, and then takes a deep breath. “I never said anything to Mitch about it. I never said anything to anyone…”

“Mrs. Patterson…” Julie starts, but Emily lifts a hand to wave it.

“No! No… I… you’re around the age he was when I last saw him, and you just seem… you seem like a kindred spirit. You love music, you said?” Julie nods. “Well… I suppose you would know more about all that. But… I couldn’t listen to the whole thing, anyways. I started a song… But as soon as I heard him sing… he sounded so passionate and happy…”

“Ma…” Luke croaks out, sitting in the chair next to her, perching precariously so he doesn’t move it accidentally. “You…” 

Julie moves again, putting a hand on Emily’s shoulder. “I’m sure, if he knew you tried to listen… Uhm… what would you tell him?” she asks, trying to prompt without making it seem strange.

“Oh… I… I don’t even know. I’ve tried… I’ve thought about it so much. If I had seen him, just one more time…” Emily shakes her head, a small sob escaping. “I’m so sorry… I’m sorry I didn’t believe in you. I’m sorry we fought so much. I should have… I should have tried harder to understand…”

He drops to his knees beside her, reaching up so his hand hovers near her shoulder. “It’s okay, Ma… It’s okay… I’m sorry… I should have… I should have tried harder… I should have come back… Ma, I’m here… please…”

Julie is crying now, and she squeezes Emily’s shoulder. “I’m sure… I’m sure he would want you to know that he loves you,” she whispers.

Emily nodded her head, using her napkin to wipe her face again. “Thank you… I… I certainly hope so,” she replies. “Oh, goodness… you didn’t come over her for me to have a breakdown on you, dear. I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay! Really. It sounds like you love him a lot,” Julie tells her, glancing at Luke.

“I really do. Even after all this time… And love is what Valentine’s Day is all about, right? Oh! Speaking of… any plans for you?” Emily asks.

“Me? Oh, I… no, not this year! Just hanging out at home. Maybe working on some music,” Julie tells her, smiling and sitting down.

Luke slowly lifts to his feet as they lapse into a conversation that’s mostly small talk, and a little little bit awkward. Soon enough, though, Julie heads out to go home, Luke following behind. As soon as they’re out in the street, Julie grabs his hand and squeezes it. “I’m sorry…”

“You don’t have to apologize,” he tells her. “You don’t! I asked you to make the cookie, and I didn’t think…”

“Hey!” she tugs him to a stop, turning to face him. “It’s fine! I think… I think it was good for you. And for your mom… I know that we can’t tell her you’re there, but… I’m trying to give all these subtle hints, and I think she’s doing better. I think you’re doing better.”

He stares down at her, and then he leans in to press his lips against hers. It’s not the first time they’ve kissed - and he hopes it won’t be the last - but he doesn’t have any words to use. He feels her hands on his shoulders, and then she gently pushes at him. “We should get back to the studio,” she whispers to him, glancing around them.

“Sorry… I just… You’re right. I do feel better. Lighter,” he tells her. “Thank you, Jules.”

“Of course, Luke. Now come on… you’re my Valentine, and I do want to go work on music!” she tells him, grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the studio.

He smiles, following her pull and squeezing her hand.


End file.
